The Gilbert Twins
by OliviaSalvatore
Summary: Elena Gilbert has a twin, Alyssa. What happens when the Salvatores arrive in Mystic Falls and her eyes fall on Damon? Follows plot line. Possibly Damon/OC/Klaus later Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Diaries.
1. Pilot

I wake up on the first day of junior year and got dressed. Then I groaned and lay down on my bed.

I'm going to school and I'm not going to be the girl who lost her parents. I will start fresh, be something new. It's the only way I'll make it through.

_You okay, 'Lena? _I asked my twin telepathically. I think it's a twin thing since we could always do it.

_Honestly, I don't know, but we've got to try. What about you Alyssa? _she replies.

_Same._

I head downstairs and right after me follows Elena. We both go into the kitchen with Aunt Jenna.

"Toast. I can make toast," Jenna says.

Elena replies, "It's all about the coffee, Aunt Jenna."

"Is there coffee?" our younger brother, Jeremy, asked.

"Your first day of school and I'm totally unprepared," Jenna offers us money. "Lunch money?"

"I'm good," Elena and I say. Jeremy takes it.

"Anything else? A number two pencil? What am I missing?"

I asked, "Don't you have a big presentation today?"

"I'm meeting with my thesis adviser at… now. Crap."

Elena and I said, "Then go. We'll be fine." Jenna leaves and Elena asks Jer if he's okay.

"Don't start," Jeremy scoffs. Then he walks off, and we sip our coffee.

Bonnie is driving us to school and says, "So Grams is telling me I'm psychic. Our ancestors were from Salem, which isn't all that, I know, crazy, but she's going on and on about it, and I'm like put this woman in a home already! But then I started thinking. I predicted Obama and I predicted Heath Ledger, and I still think Florida will break off and turn into little resort islands."

Elena was looking out the window… at the cemetery. I sighed.

"Elena! Back in the car," Bonnie said.

"I did it again, didn't I?"

"Yep," I say from the backseat.

"I'm- I'm sorry, Bonnie. You were saying that…"

"That she's psychic now." I say then I look at Bonnie. "Predict something about us."

"I see…" Bonnie starts but doesn't get to finish because a bird or something hits the windshield.

We gasped and Bonnie stopped the car. I leaned back and took a deep breath.

_You okay, El'?_

_Yeah. You? _

_Yeah_

"What was that?! Oh my god! Elena, Alyssa, are you okay?"

"It's okay. I'm fine," we both said.

"It was like a bird or something. It came out of nowhere," she said.

"I can't be freaked out by cars for the rest of my life," my twin reassured.

"Seriously Bonnie, We're alright."

"I predict this year is going to be kick ass. And I predict all the sad and dark times are over and you both are going to be beyond happy."

We all grin and Bonnie starts to drive again.

When Bonnie, Elena and I stop at Bonnie's locker, we look over and see Matt. Elena waves and Matt shuts his locker.

Matt is that cute boy who has been Elena and my friend for forever. Then Matt and Elena start to date, but after our parents died, she needed space.

"He hates me," Elena said.

"That's not hate-," I start.

Bonnie finished, "That's you dumped me, but I'm too cool to show it, but secretly I'm listening to air supply's greatest hits."

"Elena, Allyssa. Oh my god." Caroline comes up and hugs both of us. "How are you? Oh it's so good to see you." Then Caroline turned to Bonnie and asked, "How are they? Are they good?"

"Caroline, we're right here," I say.

Elena continues, "And we're fine. Thank You."

"Really?" she asked.

"Yes," I say. "Much better."

"Oh you poor things," Caroline says and pulls us together tightly.

"Okay, Caroline" I mutter. Caroline lets go and says, "Ok, see you guys later?" Then walked off.

"Don't comment," Elena told Bonnie

"I'm not going to say anything. Hold up. Who's this?" Bonnie asked when we see a guy in the administrative office.

My twin says, "All I see is back."

"It's a hot back," Bonnie says and we chuckle. "I'm sensing Seattle, and he plays the guitar."

I comment, "You're really going to run this whole psychic thing to the ground, huh?"

"Pretty much."

Then Elena and I see Jeremy go into the boys' bathroom.

"I'll be right back." Elena says and she follows Jer. I follow close behind.

Elena grabs Jer's cheeks. "Great," she says letting go. "It's the first day of school and you're stoned."

"No, I'm not."

"Where is it? Is it on you?" my persistent sister questions.

_Cool it Elena. No matter what you say, he won't stop._

_I can try _she replies.

"Stop, alright. Chill yourself, alright?"

"Chill myself? What is that, stoner talk? Dude, you are so cool."

"Look, stop! I don't have anything on me. Are you crazy?"

"You haven't seen crazy, Jeremy!" Elena said. "I gave you a summer pass, but I am done watching you destroy yourself." Jeremy starts to walk to the door, but El pushes him back.

"No, no, no, you know what? Go ahead, keep it up. But just know I'm going to be there to ruin your buzz every time, you got it?"

Elena sighs and continues. "I know who you are, and it's not this person. So don't be this person."

Jeremy turns toward me. "You gonna help a brother out?"

I sigh, "Jeremy, I get it, a distraction. We all need one. Your's are drugs. But you know Elena. She is persistent. I can't stop her. Plus I don't want to see you get hurt. Sorry Jer." Jeremy walks around us and leaves and I follow close behind.

After a moment, Elena comes out and bumps into the new guy. They both step the same way and then do it again. Then he moves to the wall to let her through. I almost burst out laughing.

We were in History with the new guy. And I saw him looking at Elena.

_New guy staring at you _I tell my twin while she's checking a text.

After school, Elena and I were in the cemetery in front of our parents graves. Elena had out her journal and I had out my sketchpad. I drew what people saw me as after believing me about what I said vs what I really felt. I feel sad, not mopey, just not what I used to be like.

A crow flew onto their gravestones. "Hi, bird," Elena said. "That's not creepy or anything."

Fog comes around us, Elena puts down her diary and shoos the bird away.

"That's what I thought." Then she turned around and stumbled back. I look behind me and jump up, seeing the crow again, and I grab my sketchpad and bag. Elena grabs her bag and runs out the cemetery. I look back and see a man. I can't make out what he looks like, just that he is wearing dark clothes. Then I follow Elena.

When I catch up to her, she is talking to the new guy.

"I'm Elena,"

"I'm Stefan,"

"I know, we have History together,"

I hold back a chuckle. _Elena, it sounded like you said you two have a history together._

_Shut up._

"And English and French."

I step next to my twin to introduce myself to Stefan. "I'm Allyssa."

"Nice ring," Elena says.

Stefan holds up his ring and says, "Oh…um… It's a family ring, yeah. I'm kind of stuck with it. It's weird huh?"

"No, no. It's just, there are rings and then there's that,"

Stefan smiles and then he has a look of confusion. "Did you hurt yourself?" he asked Elena.

"Oh uh," she says. "I don't know."

She rolls up her pants leg to see blood. "Oh! Look at that. That is not pretty. You okay?" she asked Stefan who had turned away.

He said, "You should go. Take care of that."

"Really. It's nothing." Elena rolled up her pants leg. He was gone.

"We're meeting Bonnie at the Grill," Elena and I told Jenna later that night.

"Ok, have fun. Wait I got this. Don't stay out late, it's a school night."

"Well done, Aunt Jenna," we both say.

When Elena opened the front door, she gasped. Stefan was standing outside.

"Sorry, I was about to knock. I wanted to apologize for my disappearing act earlier. I know it was… strange."

I stepped back and went into the kitchen.

A few minutes later, I hear Elena ask Stefan if he wanted to come and I took that as my cue to head over there.

When we got to the grill, Matt came and introduced himself to Stefan. Stefan, Elena and I sat down with Bonnie and Caroline.

Basically from 20 questions on Stefan, I learned that he was born in Mystic Falls and moved when he was young. His parents died. He has no siblings that he talks to. He lives with his uncle. Caroline told him about the bonfire and he asked Elena if she was going.

"She'll be there," I tell him.

The next day I learned that his last name was Salvatore. He told Mr. Tanner to brush up on his facts after not knowing an answer to his own question.

At the bonfire Bonnie, Elena and I were discussing Stefan, and Bonnie asked, "Where is he?"

"I don't know," replied Elena. "You tell me. You're the psychic one."

"Right. I forgot. Okay, so give me a sec. Grams says I have to concentrate."

"Wait you need a crystal ball," I said. I looked around and grabbed a beer bottle. "TaDa."

Bonnie reached out to grab it and touched my hand. She had a weird face and pulled away.

"What?" asked Elena.

Bonnie said, "That was weird. When I touched you, Lyssa, I saw a crow."

"What?" Elena and I asked.

"A crow. There was fog. A man. I'm drunk. It's the drinking. There's nothing psychic about it. Yeah? Ok, I'm going to get a refill." Bonnie walks away.

_That was weird, _I thought.

_Yeah, it was._

Then Stefan came up to us.

"Elena, I gotta go. See ya." I walk off.

_Thanks _I hear as I leave.

Later I see Jeremy heading to the woods and Elena following. I catch up to see Jeremy fall.

"Vicki? No! Oh my god, it's Vicki!"

Vicki was there practically dead with blood on her neck.

"Oh, my god!" El and I say.

Vicki gasps. Jer, El, and I carried her out of the woods.

"Somebody help!" El and I screamed when we were out of the woods.

Tyler, Matt and everyone else panicked. They rushed over to her. Someone called an ambulance.

"It's her neck. Something bit her. She's losing a lot of blood," Elena said.

After the ambulance got her, Elena asked Jeremy if he was okay.

_Dumb question, Elena. Oh course he's not alright._

"I called Jenna. She's on her way," I said.

I made my way elsewhere because I don't want to listen to Elena lecture Jeremy.

"Hey," Bonnie said. "We're gonna go mainline coffee, wait for news.

I nod and say, "I gotta take Jeremy home."

"Allyssa, there is no way I'm psychic. I know that. But whatever I saw, or think I saw, I have this feeling…"

"Bonnie, what?"

"That it's just the beginning."

I sit on my bed, tonight, drawing Vicki. I can't stop thinking about what happened today. Vicki being attacked and almost killed. Then I thought about what Bonnie said. When she touched me, she saw a man, a crow, and the fog. It was just like at the cemetery. I wonder who the man was, and what did Bonnie mean about it just being the beginning?

I drifted to sleep.


	2. Night of the Comet

When I wake up, I get in a nice comfortable blue shirt and jeans, and I straighten my hair.

_You alright, Elena?___I ask.

_ Yep. For the first time in a while I feel good. _

_ Does Stefan have anything to do with that?_

_ Maybe._

_ Good for you, 'Lena._

_ What about you?_

_ I'll let you know._

I head out of my room, an Aunt Jenna catches me. She asks, "Do I look adult, as in respectfully parental?"

"Depends where you're going."

"Jeremy's parent-teacher conference. Hair up or down?" She shows me her hair up.

"Sexy stewardess."

Aunt Jenna shows her hair down.

"Boozy housewife."

"Up it is."

"Where is Jeremy?"

Aunt Jenna replied, "He left early. Something about getting to the woodshop early to finish a birdhouse." At my look, she continued, "There is no woodshop, is there?" I shake my head no.

Then Elena comes out of her room and we head out to school.

In History, Tanner talked about the comet and how it was first seen 5 centuries ago and was last seen 145 years ago. I tuned out most of it and notice Elena and Stefan doing flirty eye contact thing while smiling.

Then Tanner said, "Are we bothering you Mr. Salvatore? Ms. Gilbert?" They shake their heads no and are saved by the bell.

Later, Matt, Elena and I were talking about Vicki. "They're keeping her overnight to make sure there's no infection, but she should be able to come home tomorrow."

"That's good news," we said.

"Yeah,"

Elena asks, "Did you get in touch with your mom?"

Matt replied, "Called and left a message. She's in Virginia Beach with her boyfriend, so… we'll see how long it takes for her to come rushing home."

"Vicky's lucky that she's okay," I say.

"I know. And now there's talk of some missing campers."

"Did she say what kind of animal it was that attacked her?"

"She said it was a vampire."

"What?" Elena and I ask.

"Yeah. She wakes up last night and mutters 'vampire' and then passes out."

Elena says, "Okay that is weird."

"I think she was drunk. So what is up with you and the new guy?" he asks my sis.

I step away, still in hearing range but not in awkwardness range.

"Matt, the last thing I want to do is hurt you."

_It is a little late for that 'Lena._

You know, I'm just gonna go to the hospital to be there when Vicki wakes up to get the real story about last night." Matt walks away, and Stefan vanished from where he was sitting at on the picnic table.

After school Caroline, Bonnie, Elena and I were talking, and Bonnie was saying how last time the comet passed over there was lots of death and destruction. Then Caroline said, "And then you poured her another shot and she told you about the aliens."

Then Caroline turned to Elena. "So then what?"

"So then nothing"

"You and Stefan talked all night? There was no sloppy first kiss or touchy feeling of any kind?"

"Nope. We didn't go there."

"Not even a handshake? Elena, we are your friends, okay. You are supposed to share this with us."

"We just talked for hours," Elena said.

"Ok, What is with the blockage. Just jump his bones already! Ok, it's easy. Boy likes girl, girl likes boy, sex.

"Profound."

Elena started getting up.

_Where are you going?_

"Where are you going?" Bonnie questions.

"Caroline's right. It is easy. If I sit here long enough, I'll end up talking myself out of it instead of doing what I started the day saying I was going to do."

_Go Elena!_

"You have to come with me," she said looking at me.

"Why?"

"To keep me from backing out."

I grab my bag and follow Elena to the car where I get shotgun.

Elena and I arrive at Stefan's boarding house, and Elena knocked on the door. The door swung open, and we walk inside.

"Stefan!" Elena shouts.

We walk further in and Elena calls out again. We look in the huge place.

Then a crow flies through, and Elena and I turn around. I come face to face with a really hot guy. He tilts his head.

"I'm sorry for barging in. The door was open."

"You must be Alyssa," he says. "And you must be Elena. I'm Damon, Stefan's brother."

"He didn't tell us he had a brother," Elena said.

_Technically he said he had no siblings he talked to which implied he at least had on sibling._

Damon said, "Well Stefan's not one to brag. Please, come. I'm sure Stefan will be along any second."

He lead us to his living room that was huge.

"Wow," I said. "This is your living room?"

"Living room, parlor, seventies auction. It's a little gitchy for my taste. I see why my brother is so smitten. It's about time. For a while there I never thought he would get over the last one. Nearly destroyed him."

"The last one?" we ask.

"Yeah. Katherine, his girlfriend." Upon seeing Elena's face he continued. "Oh, you two haven't had the awkward exes conversation yet."

"Nope," Elena said.

"Oops. Well I'm sure it will come up now. Or maybe he didn't tell you because he didn't want you to think he was on the rebound. We all know how those relationships end."

I say, "You say it like every relationship is doomed to end."

"He shrugs and replies, "I'm a fatalist. Hello, Stefan."

Elena and I turn around to see Stefan.

"I didn't know you two were coming over."

Elena said, "I know. I should have called. I just…"

"Oh don't be silly," interrupts Damon. "You two are welcome anytime. Aren't they Stefan? You know, I should break out the family photo albums or some home movies. But I have to warn you, he wasn't always such a looker."

"Thank you for stopping by," Stefan said. "It is nice to see you both."

"Yeah, we should probably go," said Elena.

"It was nice meeting you, Damon," I said looking at him.

"Great meeting you too, Alyssa," he said and kissed my hand. I felt heat rising to my cheeks.

Elena and I turned to leave, only to be blocked by Stefan, glaring at his brother.

"Stefan?" I say.

Elena tries, "Stefan?"

Then he turns, his eyes not leaving Damon. Elena and I walk out the door.

Elena drove us home and I couldn't stop thinking about Damon. And what is up with him and Stefan? What happened between them to make Stefan act like that?

When we get home, Elena tells Jenna about our visit to the Salvatore boarding house.

"He's on the rebound and has raging family issues."

"Well at least it's an ex-girlfriend," said Jenna. "Wait till you date a guy with mommy issues or cheating issues. Or amphetamine issues."

Then Jeremy walks through the door.

"Jeremy," says Aunt Jenna. "Jeremy, where were you?"

"More stoner stories. Look Jenna, I get it. You were cool once and that's… that's cool." He heads upstairs.

"Oh no, no, no!" Jenna throws an apple at his head.

"Ow. Why? Why did you do that?"

"Listen up. Quit ditching classes or you're grounded. No discussion."

"Parental Authority, I like it. Sleep tight." He gave Jenna a thumbs up and went to his room. I then headed up to my room to sleep.

In the morning, we told Bonnie about Stefan. "He didn't call?" she asked.

"Or text," Elena replied. "But I realized that we never even exchanged that stuff."

_Brilliant El'. Why not?_

"That's an important milestone in any relationship," said Bonnie.

"Isn't it? The timing is wrong, anyway."

I questioned, "When is it ever right?"

"I'm not ready, 'Lyss."

"Who is?"

"At least I put myself out there."

"Is that what you're calling it?" Bonnie asked.

"What do you mean?"

"All we are hearing is why you shouldn't" I say.

Later that night I shout, "El' I'm staying here for the comet!"

"Kay!" she shouts back. I go to my window and wait till I see the comet pass by. Then I drift to sleep.


	3. Friday Night Bites

"I'm not saying don't date the guy, just take it slow," Bonnie suggested when we went to school the next day.

"You were the one who said to go for it," Elena reminded her.

Bonnie corrected, "Technically it was both me and Alyssa."

"The point!" Elena exclaimed.

"Now I'm saying take it slow." I shake my head at them. "You're single for the first time in your high-school career. It's the perfect time to even the playing field."

"Oh because I am _so _that girl. Seriously, what are you not saying?" Elena asked Bonnie.

"It's stupid."

I sighed, finally speaking up. "Obviously it's not or you wouldn't have made a big deal about it in the first place."

"I accidentally touched Stefan and got a really bad feeling," Bonnie confessed.

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Is that it?"

"It was _bad _bad!"

"Is this the whole witch mojo thing again?" Elena asked Bonnie. Elena doesn't believe any of that. I, on the other hand, have a feeling inside me that says otherwise. I shake the feeling out of me as Bonnie speaks again.

"I love you for it, I do," said Elena, "but I feel good. It's been a hard year, and I'm starting to kind of feel like things are getting back to normal again. And you know what? Stefan is a big part of that."

I smile at my sister, feeling really happy for her. I just hope nothing happens to ruin that. "That must be a good sign. I'm happy for you, sis." Elena smiles at me gratefully.

Then we bump into Stefan, and Bonnie makes an excuse to leave. Stefan takes notice, "She doesn't like me very much."

"She doesn't know you. She's my best friend. She's just looking out for me. But when she does… she will love you." Elena smiles at him, and I feel like an awkward third wheel.

"I'll see you guys later," I tell them with a smile, and I walk over to where Tyler and Matt are standing. Matt is tossing a football with some football player whose name has escaped my mind.

"Look, there's Elena and her new boyfriend," Tyler comments as he sees Elena and Stefan walking. "And what are they doing while they are walking, walking, walking? Yep. Right into the sunset."

"You're a dick," both Matt and I comment.

"While you're just standing there looking like one of those yard trolls."

"Gnomes," I corrected while smirking. "Seriously, Tyler, don't you know anything?" Tyler rolls his eyes, and Matt chuckles.

"What am I supposed to do, Ty?" Matt asks him. "She made her choice."

"Let her know she made the wrong one." Tyler grabs the football from the air and gets ready to throw it at Stefan whose back is facing towards us as he looks at Elena.

"What are you doing? Ty, don't. Ty, don't. Ty!" Matt exclaims while I say, "Tyler, don't you dare. Don't you dare."

Tyler ignores us both and throws the ball at the back of Stefan's head. Stefan turns around faster than I would ever have thought possible, and he catches the ball in front of his face. I stare in him in awe as he gets in a position to throw it back. Stefan throws the ball back to Tyler, and Tyler stumbles back as he catches the football because of the force behind it. My eyes widen, and I start laughing as Tyler looks at Stefan in shock.

"Shut up," Tyler mutters.

"Why should I? You kind of deserved it after throwing a football at him when his back was turned." Tyler rolls his eyes, and I add, "Keep rolling your eyes like that and they will fall out of their sockets." Tyler rolls his eyes _again._ "There you go. At it again. What did I just tell you about that?" Then I lower my voice. "Honestly…will never learn…"

Matt starts laughing, and I grin, starting to feel slightly better than I have since my parents died. I haven't made a single joke or comment like that since then. I still feel a major hole inside me, but at least I can act differently now. Put on my joking side. The bell then rings, and we head inside.

In History, Tanner asks, "World War II ended in…? Anyone got anything? Miss Juan? 1945."

"Psst," I hear Elena get Stefan's attention. "FYI our team sucks. They could use you."

"Can't. I'm a loner," Stefan whispers back.

"Miss Gilbert?" Tanner asks, looking at my twin.

"Hmm?" Elena asks, clueless by what he just asked because she was too busy whispering to Stefan.

"Pearl Harbor?" questions Mr. Tanner.

"Um…"

Stefan steps in and saves Elena. "December 7th, 1941."

"Thank you, _Miss Gilbert,"_ Tanner tells him.

"Anytime."

"Very well. The fall of the Berlin Wall."

"1989. I'm good with dates, sir," Stefan informs him.

"Are you? How good?" Tanner challenges. I sigh, seeing where this is going and not liking it. "Keep it to the year. Civil Rights Act."

"1964,"

"John F. Kennedy assassination."

"1963."

"Martin Luther King?" Tanner interrogates.

"'68."

"Lincoln."

"1865."

"Roe vs Wade."

"1973," Stefan answers.

"Brown vs Board."

"1954"

"The Battle of Gettysburg?"

"1863."

"Korean War," Tanner asks, growing impatient with each correct answer, waiting for Stefan to answer incorrectly.

"1950 to 1953."

"Ha!" exclaims Tanner, acting childishly. "It ended in '52!"

Stefan corrects, "Uh, actually, sir, it was '53."

Tanner commands the class, "Look it up, somebody. Quickly!"

A kid pulls out his phone and looks it up. "It was 19…53."

I smile and applaud my sister's boyfriend. Bravo, Stefan. The look on Tanner's face almost had me laughing. Serves him right.

After school, Elena, Bonnie, Caroline and I have cheer practice. Caroline is late. "You're coming for dinner tonight," Elena says, looking at Bonnie, as she stretches.

"I am?"

"You, me, Alyssa and Stefan." At Bonnie's expression, Elena says, "You have to give him a chance."

"Tonight's no good. Have you seen Caroline? I've texted her like a hundred times," Bonnie says, trying to change the subject.

Elena demands, "Don't change the subject, Bonnie Bennett. You're going to be there."

"Fine! I'll go!"

"Do I have to go? I already like Stefan for going against Tanner."

"Yes. You are going to be there. You live in the same house. You have no excuse to not go."

"But… I have to study with Caroline!" I lie.

Elena shakes her head. "No you don't. You are coming."

"Speaking of Caroline, where is she?" Bonnie asks.

I reply, concerned for my blonde friend, "I don't know. It's not like her."

"Um…," Elena points to a car pulling in with Caroline in it. In the driver's seat is Damon. Caroline kisses him as she gets out, and I feel a twinge of jealousy. Woah. Where did the jealousy come from? I just met the guy.

""That must be the mystery guy from the Grill," Bonnie realizes.

Elena starts, "That's not a mystery guy."

"That's Damon Salvatore," I continue.

"Salvatore as in Stefan?"

"No," I answer sarcastically, "another Salvatore family."

"No need to be rude," mumbles Bonnie, but a small smile forms on her lips.

Damon looks at me when Caroline gets out. "I got the other brother. Hope you don't mind." Caroline said, and I sigh. Elena doesn't but I do. Caroline gets the good looking one. Caroline's voice turns faint as I pay attention to Damon. "Sorry I'm late, girls. I was… busy. Alright, let's start with the double pike hurkey hurdler, what do you say?" Damon's eyes are still on me as he is about to drive away. Then he is gone, driving out of the school area.

We practice routines, but Elena and I just didn't get it. Elena was better than I was, though. Caroline suggests we observe today so Elena and I go watch Stefan tryout for football. Elena watches so she can see her boyfriend, while I watch to see how good Stefan is. He was really good. He only messed up once, but I have this strange feeling like he did it on purpose.

Nearing 8:00, Bonnie, Elena and I were getting ready for Stefan. I didn't help make the food, I just helped put it in bowls.

"You, explain it. Last night, I'm watching _Nine-0, _commercial break comes on, and I'm like I bet it's that phone commercial, and sure enough it's the guy and the girl with the bench. He flies to Paris, and he flies back. They take a picture."

"Oh, come on," Elena say, chuckling. "That commercial's on a constant loop."

"Fine. Well, how about this. Today I'm obsessed with numbers. Three numbers. I keep seeing 8, 14 and 22. How weird is that?"

"Maybe we should play the lottery," I suggest with a grin. "We could be rich and famous. I can see it now. _**Mystic Falls Top News: Three Teens Win the Lottery. **__Three teens, Elena and Alyssa Gilbert and Bonnie Bennett, play the lottery and come up winning. Was it luck? Or did they find a way to cheat using a supposedly psychic witch-y friend AKA Bonnie Bennett? Find out more on page 10._"

Bonnie and Elena laugh. I smile at my ability to lighten the mood. Elena looks at Bonnie when she stops laughing. "Have you talked to your Grams?"

"She's going to say it's because I'm a witch. I don't want to be a witch. Do you want to be a witch?" Bonnie asks us.

"I don't want to be a witch!" Elena and I exclaim. Then I add, "Unless it's the Harry Potter kind. I would totally want to be one of those. They are awesome. Well most of them are. Umbridge isn't." They chuckle again.

"And putting it in a nice bowl isn't fooling anybody," Bonnie tells us.

"Well we can try," I say, putting on a small smile.

"Okay serving spoons. Where are the serving spoons?" Elena asks as she looks around.

Bonnie answers immediately, "Middle drawer on your left."

I open the drawer and see a serving spoon. Wow. I take it out and hand it to my twin. "Okay, so you've been in this kitchen like a thousand times," Elena says.

"Yeah, that's it."

The doorbell rings. "Okay. He's here. Don't be nervous. Just be your normal, loving self," Elena tells Bonnie. Then she looks at me. "Same goes for you."

I sigh and roll my eyes. Then I reply, sarcastically, "No. I thought I'd be extremely boring with no sense of humor and sarcasm and keep the tension awkward." Elena goes to answer the door.

"Birthday candles," I hear Bonnie mutter, and she opens a drawer, only to find birthday candles.

"Hey, Bonnie. Maybe it's just luck," I tell her to give her slight hope.

"I don't think so."

I look at her sympathetically. "Whatever is happening with all the predictions and stuff, you'll figure it out soon."

"Thanks, Alyssa," she says, giving me a small smile.

At dinner, it is extremely awkwardly silent, and I don't even know how to break it. I've thought of a few things, but I don't say them.

"Did Tanner give you a hard time today?" Elena asks Stefan, breaking the awkward silence.

Stefan replies, "Well, he let me on the team so I must've done something right."

"Bonnie you should've seen Stefan today. Tyler threw a ball right at him and-" Elena is interrupted by Bonnie.

"Yeah, I heard."

"Stefan," I grab his attention, "Great job in History, with all the facts and beating Tanner at his own game. It was very impressive." Stefan smiles at me.

"Why don't you tell Stefan about your family?" Elena suggests to Bonnie.

"Um, divorced. No mom. Live with my dad."

"No about the witches," Elena corrects.

I look at Stefan. "Bonnie's family has a lineage of witches. It's _very _cool." I give Bonnie a look, daring her to say otherwise.

Either not noticing, or ignoring my look, she says, "Cool isn't the word I'd use,"

"Well it's certainly interesting," Stefan comments. "I'm not too versed, but I do know that there's a history of Celtic druids that migrated here in the 1800's."

"My family came by way of Salem," Bonnie tells him.

"Really? Salem witches?" Stefan looks genuinely interested in this topic, and I internally have a smug look of success because if he is interested, then Bonnie will like him.

"Yeah," Bonnie chuckles.

"I would say that's pretty cool."

Bonnie looks slightly shocked, "Really? Why?"

"Salem witches are heroic examples of individualism and non-conforming."

"Yeah," Bonnie smiles with a look of approval towards Stefan. "They are."

Elena and I share successful smiles.

_Bingo. _I share telepathically.

Then the doorbell rings. I stand up and say, "I wonder who that could be." Then I walk over to the door, Elena trailing behind me. I open the door and see Caroline and Damon.

"Surprise!" Caroline exclaims with a dish in her hands. "Bonnie said you were having dinner so we brought desert."

"Hope you don't mind," Damon says with a smirk.

Stefan walks up and asks his brother, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm waiting for Alyssa to invite me in."

"Oh, yeah. You can-," Stefan cuts me off. Rude.

"No. No. No. He can't, uh, he can't stay. Can you, Damon?"

"Get in here!" exclaims Caroline from beside me, inside the house. I didn't even realize she walked in.

"We're just finishing up," Stefan says.

"Come on in, Damon," I say, annoyed by the sibling fight, and he comes in with a smirk.

"You have a beautiful home, Alyssa, Elena."

"Thank you, Damon." I feel heat rising to my cheeks at the complement as I smile.

In the living room, after desert, we are all sitting down. Caroline is on the arm rest of Damon's chair. Caroline says, "I can't believe Mr. Tanner let you on the team. Tyler must be seething, but good for you. Go for it."

Damon says, "That's what I always tell him. You have to engage. You can't just sit there and wait for life to come get you. You have to go get it." I smile slightly.

"Elena and Alyssa weren't so lucky today. It's only because they missed summer camp. God, I don't know how you two are ever going to learn the routines."

Bonnie reassures her, "I'll work with them. They'll get it."

"I guess we could put them in the back…" muses Caroline as she figures out what to do with Elena and I in cheer.

Damon comments, "You don't seem like the cheerleader type, Alyssa, Elena."

"Oh, it's just because their parents died. They're totally going through a blah phase. They used to be _way _more fun." I grab my sister's hand from next to me, and I give it a light squeeze before letting go.

"Used to be?" I force a scoff. "I am still fun. I am the queen of fun."

Caroline laughs and notices Elena's expression and the look Bonnie gave her. "And I say that with complete sensitivity."

I roll my eyes at Caroline's lack of tact. Then I glance at my sister to see how she is holding up. She looks at me gratefully for my efforts.

_You alright? I know Caroline's words were insensitive. _ I ask her.

_Yeah. I'll be fine. _She smiles at me and glances at Stefan.

"I'm sorry, Alyssa, Elena," Damon says. "I know what it's like to lose both of your parents. In fact, Stefan and I have watched almost every single person we care about die."

"We don't need to get into that right now, Damon," Stefan tells him.

"Ah, you know what? You're right, Stef. I'm sorry. The last thing I wanted to do was bring her up." Her… Katherine. At least one of them blames the other about Katherine's death. Possibly the parent's death. Or maybe I am just over looking things.

I'm working on the dishwasher, after about five minutes. Damon says, "One more," and goes to hand me the glass, but Damon drops it and catches the bottom of the glass, swiftly, before handing it back to me.

"Nice save," I complement.

Damon chuckles, "I like you. You know how to laugh"

"Earlier, did you mean… Katherine?"

"Mm-hmm." Damon puts a plate in the dishwasher.

"How did she die?"

"Fire. Tragic Fire," Damon answers.

"Recently?" I ask curiously.

Damon says, "Well it seemed like it was yesterday."

"What was she like?"

"She was beautiful. A lot like you in that department."

I smirk, "Did you just call me beautiful?"

"I guess I did," Damon asks with a smirk. "She's also very complicated and selfish and at times not very kind, but very sexy and seductive."

"So which one of you dated her first?" I ask him. Seriously both brothers?

"Nicely deduced, Ask Stefan. I'm sure his answer differs from mine." Wow. Dating both brothers at the same time. Poor Damon. "I'd quit cheerleading if I were you," Damon suggests.

"Why'd you say that?"

"Oh, I saw you at practice. You looked miserable."

Wow I must be horrible at hiding it. He noticed my miserable self. "You saw that, huh?"

"Am I wrong?"

I shrug, giving up my act. "It used to be somewhat fun. Things are different this year. Everything that used to matter, doesn't anymore."

"So don't let it. "Damon tells me. "Quit. Move on. Problem solved. Ta-Da."

I chuckle slightly with a small smile on my face. "I'm sorry about Katherine. You lost her too." Damon looks shocked at what I said. Like that's the last thing he expected to hear from anybody. Guess I'm the first person to tell him that.

After a minute, Bonnie asks if we need some help.

When I go to bed after they leave, I dream of Damon.

The next morning I remember there's a football game. I quit cheerleading, and apparently so did Elena. Stefan gives me a necklace got being his girlfriend's sister. Do people usually give gifts to their girlfriend's sister?

That night, while Tanner was giving announcements, Tyler and Jeremy fight. Stefan tried to stop it. Jeremy went at Tyler with a broken beer bottle.

"Jeremy, no!" Elena and I yell.

He missed Tyler and cut Stefan's hand. Elena and I went to check on Jer first. "What the hell, Jeremy?" Elena questions.

"Put your head up. You're bleeding," I command him.

Jeremy exclaims, "I'm fine!"

"Yeah, you smell fine! What were you thinking?" I ask, my voice softening at each word.

"Vicki," I hear Jeremy mumble.

I sigh and shake my head. I look at Elena. "Make sure your boyfriend is alright," I tell her. "That glass must have hurt." She nods and goes to check on Stefan. "Are you alright?" I repeat softly.

"I'm fine. Really. Tyler just got on my nerves with how he treats Vicki," Jeremy replies honestly.

I nod. "Maybe you will have a chance to treat her better than Tyler does." Jeremy smiles. "I'm gonna go check on Stefan," I tell Jer and walk over to Elena and Stefan.

"How bad is it?" Elena asks him, trying to grab his hand. She unclenches his fist and there is nothing except a red line, showing where he was cut. I furrow my eyebrows in confusion. "But I saw it. It was-"

"He missed," Stefan says, and I know he is lying because I saw the glass cut into his skin. Why is there no cut, only a line? "It's not my blood." He pats his hands on his jeans and shows us them again. "See, I'm fine."

"No, no, no. I saw it. The glass cut your hand. It was-"

"I'm okay," he interrupts my twin. I narrow my eyes at him. What is he hiding? "It's almost kickoff time. So I'll, uh, I'll see you after the game."

My eyes follow him as he leaves. I will find out what he is hiding. I went to the car before the game starts to get something out of the trunk. I lock the car and turn around ending up face to face with the dark-haired, blue-eyed Salvatore brother.

"Hey, Damon," I greet calmly like people sneaking up behind me is an everyday thing, even though it's not, and my heart sped its pace up slightly. "What are you doing over here?"

"I'm hiding from Caroline," he replies in a hushed tone.

I ask, curiously, "And why is that?"

"I need a break. She talks more than I can listen."

I chuckle with a smirk. Caroline _doe_s tend to talk _a lot._ "That could be a sign."

"Well she's awfully young." Damon tells me.

"Not much younger than you,"

"I don't see it going anywhere in the bigger picture. I think she'd drive me crazy."

I nod at Damon. "I can see that. Caroline does have some annoying traits. However, she is still my friend and that means something to me."

"I'm sorry if I make you uncomfortable. That's not my intention," Damon apologizes.

I tell him, "You didn't make me too uncomfortable. And that _was _your intention. Otherwise you wouldn't put an alternative meaning behind everything you say." I smirk at my ability to figure him out.

"You're right, I do have other intentions, but so do you."

"I do?" I question.

"Mm-hmm. I see 'em. You want me. I get to you. You find yourself drawn to me. You think about me even when you don't want to think about me. I bet you even _dreamed _about me. And right now, you want to kiss me."

I raise my eyebrow as he leans in for a kiss. My heart speeds up. I take a step back. "Uh, no. Sorry to bruise your ego, but I don't want to kiss you. I hope you work your issues out with Stefan. I really do. Just leave Elena and I out of it." I start walking towards the game that hasn't started yet. Then I turn around and tell him, "Oh, and Damon, figure out your situation with Caroline. If you want to be with her, fine, but if you don't, just tell her and save her from being lead on. Nobody deserves that."

"Thanks for the advice."

I smile and say, "No problem. Goodnight, Damon."

I continue walking towards the field, and I could've sworn I heard Damon say, "Goodnight, Alyssa."

Tanner's body was found by the parking lot about five minutes later. Matt found him as he went to find out what was taking so long. The police call it an animal attack. There was a lot of blood, and Bonnie is freaked. She predicted Tanner's death, unknowingly, with the numbers 8, 14 and 22. So much for the lottery…

I stay up later that night, thinking about the day's events. Eventually I drift into a dreamless sleep.


End file.
